It was somewhat of a surprise – Waldemar Żurek appeared at the meeting of the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS). However, it quickly turned out that it was meant only as a demonstration. “As Minister of Justice and Prosecutor General, I will, using methods consistent with the law, strive to make sure you leave this building” – threatened the Minister of Justice. And then he left.
Today, during the ongoing plenary meeting of the KRS, Waldemar Żurek also appeared among the judges. First, he delivered his monologue – directed at the other participants of the meeting – and then… refused to take part in the vote. And left.
“We have a defectively elected National Council of the Judiciary. What is the consequence of your actions? And you cannot ignore this. Every so-called “neo-judge” in the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court (NSA) today generates compensation from the state treasury awarded as a result of rulings by the European Court of Human Rights. This compensation is paid from Polish taxpayers’ money. And as you know, the amounts of this compensation keep growing. The mere presence of a so-called “neo-judge” in the courtroom, regardless of the substantive verdict, generates this compensation. You, in this composition, bear co-responsibility for the fact that, in a procedure inconsistent with the Polish Constitution, you are creating such positions in the Supreme Court and NSA,” we hear on the recording. He then further threatened:
“I would like to make it absolutely clear to you that as Minister of Justice and Prosecutor General, I will, using methods consistent with the law, strive to make sure you leave this building. I will not take part in this vote, because voting with your participation is unacceptable.”